


The Discreet Charm of the Caprican Bourgeoisie

by Jennifer-Oksana (JenniferOksana)



Category: Battlestar Galactica (2003)
Genre: Class Issues, Extramarital Affairs, F/M, Gossip, Het, Open Marriage, Pre-Series, high society - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-09
Updated: 2016-03-09
Packaged: 2018-05-25 15:18:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6200299
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenniferOksana/pseuds/Jennifer-Oksana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are less degrees of separation than one thinks in a high society like Caprica's. Or; ways Bill Adama never met Laura Roslin. Or: how the other one percent lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Discreet Charm of the Caprican Bourgeoisie

Carolanne Adama had known Niobe Adar since she was Niobe Santolucca of the Delphi Santoluccas and they were both students at the Beaux-Arts in Caprica City. She'd always been beautiful, blonde and delicate-featured, and the blue-violet watered silk gown and silver girdle highlighted her radiant complexion and accentuated her lush figure.

More importantly, Carolanne had never seen Niobe so out of sorts as she had right now. The look she had just given her husband and the woman who stood at his side was one of sheer loathing and also, despair. Carolanne shook her head, in shock, and bent her head toward her husband.

"Do you know that woman?" Carolanne asked Bill softly. "The one with President Adar."

Bill gazed at the redheaded woman. "Never seen her before," he said. "Frak, Niobe looks overdressed tonight."

"Niobe is giving her the death glare," said Carolanne, scrutinizing the woman closely. "Pretty enough, I suppose. Maybe she works for Adar. One of those aides and ministers always clustering around, though this is far too social an environment for that to be polite."

"Probably," Bill said uncomfortably. He hated these politically social gatherings, and in particular despised all the gossip. Carolanne sighed. She should have left him at home; he never knew anything about anyone.

"You're no fun," Carolanne murmured, kissing Bill on the cheek. "I'm going to go speak to Niobe -- she looks unhappy. You be nice."

With a curt wave, Carolanne half-glided over to Niobe, whose dress was even more fantastic up close. Niobe saw her and waved, and Carolanne's glide turned into a trot.

"Oh, thank the gods," Niobe said. "He brought her. He brought that damned woman to an event he knew I'd attend."

Carolanne's eyes widened in shock. "Her? She's the one?" she whispered.

Niobe and Richard Adar's marriage had been notorious for its rampant infidelity on both sides. Niobe was the daughter of the planet's most powerful political dynasty -- and deeply fond of her fellow woman. Richard, meanwhile, had been one of the prime marksmen of his generation, sleeping with rich political daughter after notable actress and passing them off to Niobe until That Woman had come along and ruined the amiable agreement between the Adars.

"Yes, that's the whore," Niobe said with a snort and a dismissive gesture. "If I were Laura, I'd dress myself better. But that's what Richard gets for screwing an uppity back-country cow with no taste."

Carolanne grimaced; it was rather tacky of Adar to bring his long-term mistress to the party. But Carolanne had to admit that the woman -- Laura? Niobe never used her name when she could use the word whore -- was much more graceful than Niobe at the moment. Nobody who didn't know, though Carolanne knew that was only political neophytes like Bill, would get from Laura's bearing that she was the other Mrs. Adar.

"At least she's not flaunting herself," Carolyn said, comforting Niobe. "Who is she, anyway? You've told me all about how Adar's absolutely enthralled. What's her background?"

"My dear, nobody knows Miss Roslin's background," Niobe said with her finest Beaux-Arts intonation. "Miss Roslin was a little union schoolteacher from upcountry who was on the school board when she caught Richard's eye. Nobody knows her people. The brother, I'm told, died in the war, and the parents are dead, the mother quite recently."

"Well, she's only a little beautiful," Carolanne said, watching the way Adar's eyes stayed on Laura, and the smile the woman gave him. "Not that anyone could be as beautiful as you, Niobe, especially not with her hair, but she has remarkable eyes and a nice smile."

"Don't I know it," Niobe said bitterly. "I actually fancied her myself at first, you know. But Miss Laura Roslin would have none of it nor me, even when Richard would."

Carolanne looped an arm around her friend. "Did she really say no?" she asked. "Nobody says no to you."

Niobe chuckled. "Should you like to meet Miss Roslin?" she asked, still doing the imitation of their deportment teacher. "You might introduce her to Commander Adama. Or, if you prefer your husband not be enchanted, we shall beard the lion ourselves."

"Enchanted?" Carolanne asked. "Niobe, you speak of her as though she were both an insignificant little schoolmarm and the devil herself."

"My dear, you'll see for yourself," Niobe said with another shake of her head. "I can't explain it at all."

As Carolanne and Niobe got closer, Carolanne looked at the Roslin woman and tilted her head. Certainly, if this was Adar's famed mistress, Laura could have dressed better. She was simply garbed -- a cream-colored dress with a black lace overdress, and low-heeled shoes. Besides, she was only wearing one necklace at that, a thin little pearl affair that looked positively threadbare besides Niobe's jewels.

How could Adar be so madly in love with the woman? She was nothing special, Carolanne thought, and said so.

"You'll see," Niobe repeated, hooking her arm around Carolanne's. "She's a modest little schoolteacher, and then those remarkable eyes gaze through you and you aren't sure what she is. Ah, Richard! You remember Carolanne, of course. Mrs. Carolanne Adama -- my dear friend Carolanne Sedley before her marriage."

"Carolanne," Richard said warmly, nodding to her and patting her shoulder. "You look well. May I introduce Miss Laura Roslin? Miss Roslin is the Minister of Education, and an absolutely indispensable part of my administration. Miss Roslin, Mrs. Adama."

"Good evening, Miss Roslin," Carolanne said, shaking the woman's hand.

"Mrs. Adama," Laura replied in a warm voice, meeting her gaze forthrightly. "It's nice to meet you. Are you an old friend of Mrs. Adar's?"

"Oh, yes. Niobe and I met at Beaux-Arts," Carolanne said. "What about you? Where did you go to school, Miss Roslin?"

Never in her life had Carolanne felt more self-conscious of the snobbery of asking after schools at a party. Before, it had seemed so innocent -- everyone had gone to a Beaux-Arts, or the Academy at Delphi, or some other famed institution. Now it seemed like a way to subtly judge a person before striking up a conversation.

"Farwood State Teacher's College," Laura said dryly. "I did always wish to attend Beaux-Arts, though. Niobe has told me a few stories, and it sounds remarkable."

"I wish my boys thought so," Carolanne answered, slightly discomfited. "Zak absolutely has no interest in going. Lee might go, but Bill -- Commander Adama, my husband -- thinks it's a waste of money since they're both supposedly joining up. They're both only children, but it's never too early, you know, to put them on the correct path to a good life."

Gods, was the polite conversation of the better class of Caprica really this dreadful? Dropping names, discussing schools, and gossiping about the who's who of political and social circles? Carolanne shifted and sighed, feeling terribly snobby all of a sudden.

"Well, children do have minds of their own," Laura said politely. "Tell me, Mrs. Adama, what is your opinion of the admissions policy in place at Beaux-Arts? Mrs. Adar has told me that she feels that it is a necessary evil. And you?"

Carolanne suddenly understood exactly what Niobe was talking about with this woman. She wore a plain gown, she wore the barest of jewelry, and while she was attractive, she was the plainest of the three women. But when Laura Roslin fixed her with a gaze and a smile, Carolanne Adama felt herself flayed to the very soul.

She was something else.

Something that chilled Carolanne to the bone.

"To tell the truth, the admission policy is largely why my son Lee doesn't want to attend Beaux-Arts," Carolanne said, stumbling over the words. "I suppose that in this day and age, it's a..."

"Classist, elitist policy that maintains the ruling class on Caprica?" Laura asked ruthlessly, lifting her glass of champagne to her lips and turning that brilliant gaze to Adar, who smiled at her with absolute adoration as if he hadn't heard a word she'd said.

"You sound like a Zarek fan, Laura," Adar chided warmly. "I thought you were going to be polite tonight."

"Oh, _Richard_ ," Niobe said brassily, speaking a little too loudly. "Haven't we already determined that asking Laura to be polite is like asking you to be faithful?"

"Niobe," Richard said quietly as Miss Roslin lifted her chin. Carolanne looked around, desperately trying to find Bill, but he couldn't really help. He had no idea how to play Caprican politics, though now was the time for him to stumble up and save Carolanne from this awkwardness. "Please."

"It's bad enough that you flaunt her at these functions. Can't you teach your upcountry doxy to mind her manners?" Niobe snarled back, still smiling. "Or can't you apologize for yourself, Miss Roslin?"

"I'm afraid I'm at quite the disadvantage compared to your Beaux-Arts manners, Mrs. Adar," Laura replied with a light and poisonous giggle. "Your dress is lovely tonight, Niobe. It quite reminds us all you're the Queen of Caprica. How much did it cost the taxpayers to remind me that you're the president's wife again?"

"As long as you remember that," Niobe murmured viciously. "Give yourself whatever airs you will, but at the end of the day, you know what you are."

Carolanne closed her eyes, wishing she had never mentioned anything about being interested in the president's mistress. A decade or more of these encounters had apparently turned them into an art form of cruelty and hatred served with smiles. Battles over glasses of champagne and plates of canapes, blissfully ignoring decorum while they smiled away, and Carolanne was not quite ready for this kind of war.

"Carolanne? Are you all right?" Bill's familiar voice inquired. Carolanne opened her eyes and smiled. "I'm sorry to interrupt."

"No, no, it's fine," Adar replied hastily. "Commander Adama, right?"

"Mister President," Bill said with a nod. "It's good to meet you. Niobe."

"Hello, Commander," Niobe said. "Have you met Miss Roslin? Oh, of course you haven't. Commander William Adama, this is Miss Laura Roslin, the Minister of Education. Miss Roslin, Commander Adama, of the Battlestar Galactica."

"Good to meet you," Bill said, shaking Laura's hand absently. "Car, I just got a call from the boys. Zak ate something that didn't agree with him, and he's going to need us soon, Lee said."

"Oh, gods," Carolanne said, the happiest she'd ever been to hear that Zak was throwing up. "Duty calls, ladies. Jonathan, Niobe, Miss Roslin, you do enjoy yourselves."

With a sigh of relief, Carolanne hustled Bill away before anyone had a chance to say anything else -- which her husband, despite his stunning lack of interest in protocol, noticed almost immediately.

"What was going on?" Bill asked. "Niobe looked ready to strangle that poor woman. Is she really that jealous?"

Carolanne giggled hysterically, and immediately grimaced. "Niobe is the most jealous person who's ever lived," she said. "But this time, there's a good reason."

"You're kidding," Bill said, snorting. "She looks like an aide out of her depth. Niobe would eat her for lunch if she could."

"I really, really don't think so," Carolanne said. "I think that woman's match enough for Niobe and Adar, and remind me sometime that the Minister of Education is a dangerous woman, huh?"

Bill chuckled. "All right," he said. "I think maybe Niobe's got your head in a spin, though. What was her name? Roslin? She seemed nice enough."

"Seeming isn't being, Bill," Carolanne said, putting her head on his shoulder. "I'm starting to understand why you hate these parties, though. Everyone gossips about the same things, and things get ugly."

Bill kissed her on the hair. "Well, brace yourself for more ugly at home. Zak's already projectile vomiting, and Lee's grouching that it's screwing up his studying."

Carolyn laughed. Sometimes Bill just didn't understand society, and that wasn't always a sin. It made him kinder at moments like this.

"Sounds like heaven to me," she said, leaving the party behind gratefully.


End file.
